Blessed to speak with several artists so far on this musical road, there are few I was as excited to interview or made me as nervous prior to, as Immortal Technique. Born in Peru and raised in Harlem, this brutally honest real revolutionary’s music and battling freestyles I’ve held in high regard for years, and will inform you more about class differences, urban slavery, institutional racism, intellectual/chemical warfare and political theory more than any economics, history or poli sci college class could ever do. Successfully operating as an independent artist for well over 12 years, he’s managed to do what several have tried to do and failed- stay true to one’s self while getting paper and reinvest that paper into communities in need as evidenced by his opening an orphanage in Afghanistan and purchasing farm property in his homeland of Peru.

Knew there would be an element of unpredictability and I figured I’d get schooled immediately within minutes but didn’t expect he’d tease me about not watching his documentary (which for the record, I have now watched TWICE, Tech, and recommend everyone do too). Walked away from our funny, informative and mind-blowing discussion an even bigger fan.